The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1887-12-18
END OF AN ODD SOCIETY.
1EAoHABLE GoDRIGHT avn TIE SOIL
FAIRY AT EPHRATA.

REACKABLE GODRIGHT AND THE SOIL
TARY At EPHRATA.
DeesAenes OF the Ephrata asd snsw Hm
Du~kers After . Lene Period Of Pres
perity-How their Downfall was Effected.
LANCASTER, Pa, Dec. l8.-Two curious
lawsuits arc pending in the courts Of this State
Ono In Lancaster county and the other in
franklin county-and nc matter In favor OF
which party Of litiGants they may be decided,
they will doubtless form tho last chapter In the
history OF one OF the Oldest and most singular
religious societies ever founded In this or any
other country. The Lancaster county case has
been In the county courts since 1879, has been
carried to the Supreme Court once, once before
Master in Chancery. and Ia now about to go
to the Supreme Court again. The Franklin
county case was begun only Q few months ago.
and will soon roach Its first hearing. In this
suit the case itself involves the possession Of
100000 worth Of property. while the long liti-
cation In the Lancaster suit has been over the
disposition Of q few hundred dollars Of costs
originally 5000.
In 171g Alexander Mack and seven others
left Germany and came to America. Mack had
In 1908 founded u religious sect which was
called the Dunkers. He found many followers.
but owing to the prosecutions that the sect was
subjected to in various European countries
where Its members had sought refuge. Mack
and his followers, after eleven years OF suffer-
ing, resolved to emigrate to this country. The
greater part OF the bunker emigrants settled
in Lancaster county. and their first church was
established at Muehlbach, or Mil Creek.
Among the followers OF Mack was n young
German named Conrad Beissel. He had been
sPresbyterian. but was converted to Macl's
belief. He was o constant and deep Bible stu
don't, mystical in his utterances. and with an
inclination for solitude. The Dunkers called
themselves First Day Baptists. Beissel, in the
course OF his scriptural study and contempla-
ton, became convinced that there was an error
In tho Bunker acceptance Of the first day OF the
week as the Lords Day, and announced that
the proper day was tho seventh. This led to
great discussion, and many OF tho society at
Mil Creek joined with Deissel In his construc-
ton OF the Bible or that point. In 1878 Belssel
published a pamphlet setting forth his reasons
for insisting on the seventh day. The pamphlet
was condemned by the First Day Baptist So
ciety. and Beissel disappeared.
The Mill Creek Society had grown rapidly
and was prosperous, but the believers in Beis-
sells theory wore dissatisfied, and sought
everywhere to find the hiding place of the self
exiled leader. More than a year after his dis
appearance he was discovered living in q rude
cave or cell on the banks of the Cocalico Creek,
In the northeastern part Of Lancaster county.
Tho cell had previously been occupied by an
aged hermit named Elimelech. who died there
and had been buried by Beissel.
Immediately following the discovery OF Beis-
sel. his followers left the Mill Creek community
and settled about the cave, occupying con-
tracted and solitary dwellings, in imitation Of
their recluse apostle. They became an organ
ised church society, retaining all the doctrines
OF the Mill Creek Society, except that they
adopted the seventh day Of the week as their
Sabbath, and mado that belief the principle
one. Beissel, being by nature Q recluse HIM
SELF. finally went further in his differences with
the parent society. and urged upon his follow
ers q life Of celibacy and seclusion. He did not
upon as, almost divine, authority. they were ac.
ceptsd by many Of his society: He formed
Tas. w snd f IN las s q sn 'eo a1sssss q liz liz s Sas
adopted BY those who chose to take Q vow Of
ss monss aea P HAVING IN The mean 81 min time ssf BEEN
erected on a hill known as Mount Zion; subse-
%gEpently separate houses. called the BEeth Ts
..sop.s I y q Soss lie Bssthrs and IT. Sisters 81
t asss e oiV fri &c a S9 NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. shssf y saSssfse; e tSe
s s.iRsl fash.sF 'F Frfeds Ss1ssSA no was usually
.s Iss RI fsot RoSEe nt tsi esI Rsiq Epbra s4si9 Il ef SSv
rspldiy ! and in a lew ws Years ST the SECULAR branch ranch
E 81 B most im 9SRtmatn ssstI haa ssts ia the ao Sn n Of
n mlil.' s SMnsf auiiI R ns mil nut fihseye foand %ai'; a a pri9 Sil
ing office, the first in the State outside Of Phil;
p SfHSiiRn ana a the Bin sYpSe & tae n llin%roasoS bo sas
Issued from the Ephrata press-a printing
arts. The Ephrata imprints are among tho
rarest and most valuable, Of all the colonial
Sne sna1mSns o Hns ssP q i'4S6 the bsr Msrs SOUNDS BGO 4
heavy boards and brass. being the greatest Of
all tie early peESi an IS q printing II america.
the Bible az the only rule Of faith. adminis-
the recipient C p still kneeled in the watsr: T h
sste elose Of 'e The t sa6bat Ssu Which a! wa hss n su a,sst
on Snsa the seventh sg. ahot Day w a. which 4 Slss supper Sna e. t they
c cfSi perform still. Celibaoy was Is he dddAs IN as as
. virtue. but marriage was not prohibited.
The convent NE q the members q t5e s XII
selfs were only twenty inches, wide and the
epssttlinEs, only Aye feet high, A bench. and 9
s S1l,i inS nj so 81 one toG Of t tRe. ae ssils xas T the e sSqsh 9s
pass, and II two by chance met, one had to back
mates was fruit and vegetables: They Ate
HOul .WOOutu plhtcS hnu uThuk IRON WOOQ6n
goblets. Beisssl was a rare musician. and COM
posed all the hymns sung at their gatherings.
He trained choirs of women only, and their
singing Is described BY persons who heard and
wrote OF 1t as being heavenly In its sweetness.
Many manuscript hymns of Beissels, with tho
county families. In TAO there were forty male
and female inmates of the Ephrata monastery.
Into the control Of men who had not his disln-
terested piety. and in l777 it began to decline.
In q few years jealousies and counter schemes
arose. Leading men in the society left 1t with
strong f~ollowings and founded similar societies
Andrew Schneeberger. He went to Snow Hill.
Franklin county where he erected q large con-
won't. a church. and other buildings.
The Ephrata Society. In a worldly way. con-
hnued to prosper. The principles OF Beissel
were not departed from. but were not SO strictly
/. adhered to-. In 1914 the society was incor-
porated by the Legislature, by which Its affairs
we're placed In the hands OF a Board of ,Trus.
tees. In 1876 trouble arose In the Board, ind
the society broke into two factions, one led by
Lorenz Node and the other by Timothy Konig-